Air pistol



E. G. ANSON AIR PISTOL Feb. 14, 1933.

Filed May 18 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l E. G. ANSON AIR PISTOL Feb. 14, 1933.

Filed May 18, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I G I l I I I I I. F

Patented Feb. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT? GFFECE EDWIN GEORGE FRANK CLARKE, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND AIR rrs'ror.

Application filed May 18, 1931, Serial No.

This invention relates to improvements in connection with air pistols, and it has for its primary object the provision of an improved means of cooking the pistol.

According to the present invention the air pistol is characterized by a side cocking lever fulcrumed on the end of the air cylinder and operat-ively connected to the spring plunger. The side cocking lever is fulcrumed on the forward end of the air cylinder, slidably linked to the spring plunger, and normally secured at the breech end of the pistol by means of a snap-action catch arranged in association with a breech block having an air tight closure action. A further feature is that the body part of the side cocking lever extends along the entire length of the air cylinder and is of an arcuate crosssection conforming closely to the exterior curvature of the cylinder. A still further feature is that the breech block may be carried by the side cocking lever so as to be adapted for an inclined engagement with the breech end of the pistol and for wedging engagement with a bridge provided on said breech end.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into practice, reference may be had to the appended explanatory drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of an air pistol in accordance with the invention, the side cocking lever being shown in its closed normal position.

Figure 2 is an opposite side elevation of the pistol, the view being partly in section so as to show the plunger in its cocked position.

Figure 3 is a plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 4: is a plan view of Figure 1 taken the line 4-4, the plunger being in section on shown in its uncooked position.

Figure 5 is a corresponding sectional plan view showing the spring plunger depressed into its cocked position by an outward pivotal displacement of the side cocking lever, which is shown partly broken away.

Figure 6 is an end elevation of the nozzle of the pistol, he handle or stock being partly broken away.

538,057, and. in Great Britain July 9, 1930.

Figure 7 is a corresponding view of the breech end of the pistol.

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figures 1 and 1.

In a convenient embodiment of the inven-r tion, as applied by way of example to an air pistol having an air cylinder, an axial discharging barrel, and a spring plunger which operates in a direction towards the handle or stock when discharging, a side cooking lever 1 has its forward end disposed at right angles in the form of a centrally slotted lug or plate 2 so as to extend across the end of the pistol with the central aperture of the lug or plate in register with the outlet nozzle of the barrel 3, and this terminal lug or plate 2 of the cooking lever is fulcrumed in normally vertical hinge or pivot bearings 4 provlded on the left-hand side of the discharge end of the pistol. The body part of this side cocking lever 1 extends along the entire length of the right-hand side of the air cylinder 5 and is of an arcuate cross-section conforming closely to the peripheral curvature of the cylinder, as may be seen particularly 1n F1gure 8, and is formed with an external relnforcing longitudinal rib 6. At a point 7 ad acent its fulcrumed end the side cocking lever 1 has pivotally attached thereto a link 8 wh ch at its opposite end is slidably engageable wlth the spring-actuated plunger 9 by means of a small slide block 10 extending through a longitudinal. side slot 11 in the cylmder 5. At its breech end the side cocking lever 1 carries a breech block 12 of a width substantially equal to the diameter of the breech end of the air cylinder 5, this breech block 12 having a curved or tapering engagement with the breech end 13, and having a tapered or wedge shaped terminal nose 1% which passes under and engages with a bridge 15 provided on the breech end 13. The inner face of the breech block 12 is formed with an air duct in the form of a recess 16 which constitutes a bypass between the outlet air duct 17 from the air cylinder 5 and the axial discharging barrel 3 of the pistol, as may be seen particularly in Figure l, and this by-pass duct 16 is surrounded by a flexible 100 side cocking lever 1 is jointing washer 18 which insures an airtight closure when the breech block 12 is pressed against the breech end 13 by wedging contact with the bridge 15. The breech block 12 has a snap-action catch attachment 19 which engages over the bridge 15 so as to retain the breech block in position when the piston is fired, this catch 19 having a pressure spring 20 and being preferably formed with a terminal fingerpiece 21 which facilitates release of the catch for recocking the pistol after firing.

It will be seen that the right-hand side cocking lever 1, having the forward left-hand ulcrum mounting 4, is adapted to be swung outwardly and forwardly from its closed normal position shown in Figures 1 to 4: into the open position shown in Figure 5, this movement providing a particularly convenient and eflicient means of cocking the pistol by forcing the spring plunger 9 from the inner position shown in Figure 4 into the outer position shown in Figures 2 and 5, in which cocked position the plunger is held by the sear catch 22 of'the trigger 23 as shown in Figure 2. It will further be seen that the adapted to be retained in the firing position in a particularly secure and effective manner by means of the wedge and catch mechanism associated with the bridge 15.

In a modification, the breech block may be hinged to the left-hand side of the breech end instead of being carried by the side cocking lever, the snap-action catch in this case being appropriately mounted for the purpose of ensuring the necessary air-tight closure and locking action.

I claim 1. An air pistol which comprises, in combination, a stock, an air cylinder, a laterally inclined breech end on the cylinder, a dis charging barrel located axially within the cylinder, a spring-actuated plunger operating within the cylinder in a direction towards the stock when discharging, a trigger having a sear catch engageable with the plunger, a side'cocking lever fulcrumed on the forward end of the cylinder, a link pivoted to the side cocking lever and slidably connected to the plunger, a laterally inclinedbreech block carried by the side cocking lever so as to have an alr-tight closure engagement with the inclined breech end, a brldge projecting from the breech end, a terminal noseon the breech block having a 'wedging engagement with the bridge, the air cylinder having an outlet air duct through the breech end thereof, the

breech block having a by-pass air duct to connect the air cylinder with the discharging barrel, and a snap-action catch which normally secures the side cocking lever at the breech endofthe pistol.

2. An air pistol comprising an air cylininder the cooking against the side of the air cylinder, a breech block carried by thecocking lever to overlie the rear ends of the air cylinder and the barrel when the cooking lever is in its normal position,'and means providing communica-- tion through said breech block between the rear end of the air cylinder and therear end of the barrel when the breech block is disposed in overlying relation to the rear ends of s aid'cylinder and barrel whereby, upon release of the plunger, air is forced from the cylinder through the barrel.

3. An air pistol as set forth in claim 2in which the cocking lever is mounted on a vertical pivot for lateral swinging movement relative to the air cylinder.

4. An air pistol as set forth in claim 2 in which the cocking lever extends across the forward ends of the air cylinder and the barrel and is pivoted atits forward end to the forward end in front of the air cylinder, the said forward end portion of said lever having an opening for alinement with the barrel" when the lever is in its normal position.

v 5. An air pistol as set forth in claim'2 in which a bridge member is carried by the rear end of the air cylinder andin which a formation is provided on the breech block for en-- gagement with said bridge member to force the breech block tightly against the rear end of the air cylinder when the cocking lever is swung to its normal position.

6. An air pistol as set forth in claim 2 in which a latch iscarrie'd by the breech block for cooperation with the air cylinder to releasably hold the cocking lever in its normal position and the breech block in overlying'relation to the rear ends of the air cyl-' inder and the barrel.

7. An air pistol as set forth in claim 2 in which a bridge member is carried by the rear end ofthe air cylinder, in which the front face of the breech block' and the rear end of the air cylinder are inclined to the axis of the cylinder for wedging engagement, and in which a formation is provided on the breech block for engagement by said for mation to holdthe breech block against rearward movement thereby to cause the breech block to become wedged tightly against the rear end of the air cylinder whensaidblock is swung to a position to overlie the end of the cylinder.

8. An air pistol as set forth in claim 2 in which the air cylinder is provided with a slot to accommodate the connection between the cocking lever and the plunger, and in 5 which the cocking lever in its normal position lies snugly against the barrel in covering relationship to said slot.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

EDWIN GEORGE ANSON. 

